Small Cabin...what stove?

[DrOf Waves]

Folks,

I have a 20x30ft log cabin, one room , a loft, and cathedral ceilings, The cabin is in western MT at 3700ft which brings some cold snaps..

The dealer has a Jotul F3CB he wants to sell me. The installation will have about 12 ft of interior double walled pipe. Fuel is a mix of P-pine and Tamarack.

is this stove a good choice? Other ideas for 600ft2 with a lot of air volume.

thanks,

scott

 

[begreen]

Is there a primary heating system for which the stove will just be supplemental? The F3CB is a cute and willing little stove, but I would look for something larger if this is the only heat. It takes a lot of excess BTUs to get a cold cabin up to comfortable temps. Look at some stoves in the 2 cu ft range.

 

[DrOf Waves]

Is there a primary heating system for which the stove will just be supplemental? The F3CB is a cute and willing little stove, but I would look for something larger if this is the only heat. It takes a lot of excess BTUs to get a cold cabin up to comfortable temps. Look at some stoves in the 2 cu ft range.

Really? for A 600ft2 cabin? At what point do I be concerned about cooking myself out of the place?

thank you for the input.

 

[begreen]

Really? for A 600ft2 cabin? At what point do I be concerned about cooking myself out of the place?

thank you for the input.

Is there a primary heating system? Will the stove will just be supplemental? Or is the stove it? Will the cabin be used in the dead of the Montana winter or just once the snows melt?

 

[DrOf Waves]

Is there a primary heating system? Will the stove will just be supplemental? Or is the stove it? Will the cabin be used in the dead of the Montana winter or just once the snows melt?

Up until now it has been a summer cabin with a couple of under cabinet electric heaters. I want to make wood the primary source of heat for year round living. I am worried about too much stove and cooking myself. is this a reasonable concern?

 

[bholler]

Up until now it has been a summer cabin with a couple of under cabinet electric heaters. I want to make wood the primary source of heat for year round living. I am worried about too much stove and cooking myself. is this a reasonable concern?

The question is are you going to be coming there in the winter to a cold cabin? If so with a stove that small it is going to take a long time running as hard as it can to bring the place up to temp. Our friend has a cabin that is about 1000 sq ft with a loft and when it is below 20 it can take 6 to 8 hours for the place to really be comfortable. And they are running a f500 oslo

 

[DrOf Waves]

The question is are you going to be coming there in the winter to a cold cabin? If so with a stove that small it is going to take a long time running as hard as it can to bring the place up to temp. Our friend has a cabin that is about 1000 sq ft with a loft and when it is below 20 it can take 6 to 8 hours for the place to really be comfortable. And they are running a f500 oslo

When I'm gone and the stove isn’t running the temp will be supported by electric space heat. I leave it at 50F now when I’m away to keep the plumbing warm.

 

[bholler]

When I'm gone and the stove isn’t running the temp will be supported by electric space heat. I leave it at 50F now when I’m away to keep the plumbing warm.

In that case it may work but it will have very short burn times.

 

[weatherguy]

I'd look for something bigger, you wont be sorry.

 

[DrOf Waves]

OK. So my concerns about too much heat are unfounded? Is there a downside in buying the bigger stove? Such as the F500?

thanks for the help.

 

[Jason721]

I believe what their telling you is...
Go with a large enough stove to produce enough heat most if not all night... if you choose a stove that has a 2cu ft or slightly larger... you can build a small fire for the right amount of heat... stuff it full for over night.... with a epa stove it's a must to have wood moisture below 20 percent... it will cause you grief if it isn't!

 

[begreen]

OK. So my concerns about too much heat are unfounded? Or can I run a bigger stove Cooler and meet a lower demand for heat?

thanks for the help.

Yes, a larger stove does not always have to be run with a full firebox. The F3CB is a good little radiant heater, but it will need reloading every 2-4 hrs usually, especially if burning softwoods. You might look into a small catalytic stove as an option. Woodstock makes some. Otherwise, consider a cast iron jacketed steel stove. It will be much less radiant and will still release heat after the fire has died down. That will help buffer and reduce temperature swings. Something like the Jotul F45 or PE Alderlea T4 or T5 would work.

 

[DrOf Waves]

Thanks folks.

 

[Nigel459]

I would suggest Woodstock keystone or fireview. For the ability to burn hot to get the place up to temp; but, mostly for their ability to burn low. As you suggest I would worry about getting cooked out of the space with a stove with a large heat curve.

(I would actually first suggest BK Since I’ve used their stoves in two virtually identical spaces to yours but worry about catching grief about it...)

 

[DrOf Waves]

Why would you catch grief?

 

[bholler]

I would suggest Woodstock keystone or fireview. For the ability to burn hot to get the place up to temp; but, mostly for their ability to burn low. As you suggest I would worry about getting cooked out of the space with a stove with a large heat curve.

(I would actually first suggest BK Since I’ve used their stoves in two virtually identical spaces to yours but worry about catching grief about it...)

Why would you catch grief I agree a cat stove would be a good fit. And bk is one of the best. You are fine

 

[Ludlow]

How well is the roof and floor insulated? I have a 2.0 cf tube stove in an 840 +/- sf cabin. It is well sealed and insulated except for the floor. Modern doors and thermopane windows. If the temps are in the high 20's and up I can make it 85 degrees inside with no effort. Most of the time I burn only two splits at a time turned down most of the way. Load it up and I would have to open windows. I dont regret having a bit too much stove. If it is zero out and I am there it would be just right. It would be painful to be running a little stove full tilt and still be cold and uncomfortable.

 

[DrOf Waves]

Ludlow,

Im not sure how well the roof is insulated. The walls are on average 12 inch pecker poles... the floors will be well insulated soon. The windows are modern and the door will be upgraded soon.

I like the idea that I can have too much stove and adjust downward.

What are some well performing Cat stoves?

 

[Woody Stover]

How well is the roof and floor insulated? I have a 2.0 cf tube stove in an 840 +/- sf cabin. It is well sealed and insulated except for the floor. Modern doors and thermopane windows.

Right, you have to know how much heat the place is losing to help you size the stove correctly. As mentioned, small loads will keep you from roasting, as long as you're around to load the stove when needed. We have a cabin as well, almost 1000 sq.ft. It has old blown-in insulation in the attic, and some air leaks I haven't fixed yet. The walls are logs, then about an inch of 1/2" drywall/1/2" concrete-type stuff. No insulation in the walls. Wind gets behind the logs at the corners and pulls heat off the thermal-mass walls. I can make some improvements to the envelope, but it's still gonna take a good bit of heat to keep it comfy in here, even in this relatively mild climate and small house.

I would suggest Woodstock keystone or fireview. For the ability to burn hot to get the place up to temp; but, mostly for their ability to burn low. As you suggest I would worry about getting cooked out of the space with a stove with a large heat curve.
I would actually first suggest BK Since I’ve used their stoves in two virtually identical spaces to yours.

In a one-room open space like that, I might opt for a more radiant stove...cast iron like the Jotuls, or the Woodstocks you mentioned. Soapstone takes a bit longer to start throwing heat, since it stores some first. But once it's warm, you can feel the radiation from pretty much anywhere in a space that size. The BK is more of a convective stove, heating air with a blower to get the heat into the room, instead of heating objects with radiation..is that a valid assumption?
The little BK in your signature is in an occasional-use cabin? What level of insulation and air-sealing? Do you run the blower, or are you most often there when it's warmer out? How long to get the cabin up to temp, and from what temp?
One thing that would concern me about the BK would be the elevation. I would want an easy-breathing stove at 3700', unless you had a pretty tall stack. Not sure if the BK 20 is like the 30 in that regard...do you want a lot of draft as insurance against a potential smoke problem?
I guess cat talk is premature anyway, until the OP says whether he'd even consider a cat stove..

 

[DrOf Waves]

I don’t know anything so I will consider everything. I’m reading about the Cat stoves now...

 

[Woody Stover]

Will you install the stove and chimney yourself? What brands does the dealer carry..is there more than one dealer?

 

[Todd]

I have the exact same sized log cabin with loft and heat it with the 602 CB in Northern Wi. My logs are mostly 10" Lodgepole, R38 ceiling, new Marvin windows and doors. The 602 has no problem heating the cabin 65-75°.

I burn a mix of Hardwood and when its cold I feed it about every 3-5 hours to keep the cabin at 70. If I stuff it full in the evening and shut air completely I still have coals for reload the next morning after 8+ hours. After 5-6 hours this stove will be down to coals with about a 200-300° stove top so its not making much heat after that. Lately I've been burning Aspen with the more moderate temps and have been impressed with the decent heat and enough coals for relighting the next morning as well. I've also burned many Lodgepole cutoffs from the build and it burns similar to my Aspen.

I live here full time but when I leave for a couple days or so I use a propane heater on low to keep the cabin in the 50s. When I get back it takes about 2hrs to get the place back up to the mid 60s with the stove or I can use propane to get there quicker.

Have there been times I wish I had a larger stove? Sure but 90% of the time I feel its properly sized. Sometimes the small fire box can be a pain and I need to cut and split smaller than I was used to. 13-15" long splits about 3-5" thick work best for this stove along with some smaller fillers if you really want to pack the firebox.

This is my first year with the stove and I'm still learning all the quirks of this stove. The stove is vented staight up 10' with double wall then another 12' of class A chimney in a corner install. The daft is very strong at times and I've been playing around with modifying the secondary air to slow it down which I think I have successfully done with a couple magnets over the secondary air supply. A pipe damper may be a better option but if i can avoid that I will.

Jotul 602 CB Install

Finally installed my 602 in my new log cabin ive been working on since Aug. The stove will be heating 600 sq ft but the cabin also has a 200 sq ft loft and open great room so this stove will be pretty much maxed out. I have 9' Excel double wall and 12' Excel class A straight up, corner install...

www.hearth.com

 

[Nigel459]

I don’t know anything so I will consider everything. I’m reading about the Cat stoves now...

Good idea!

The BK is more of a convective stove, heating air with a blower to get the heat into the room, instead of heating objects with radiation..is that a valid assumption?

I guess technically any stove with shielding is convective, sure... but lotsa radiant heat comes through the front and glass...

The little BK in your signature is in an occasional-use cabin? What level of insulation and air-sealing? Do you run the blower, or are you most often there when it's warmer out? How long to get the cabin up to temp, and from what temp?

Our cabin is more like 1000sf with high cathedral ceiling/loft bedrooms. This is Northern Ontario, can be -30C or colder at night, well sealed R32 ceiling R22 walls but lots o windows. We replaced a smoke dragon which could run as a blast furnace (and fully radiant) and have found little difference in the warm up time of the cabin when we arrive, winter or shoulder season. The BK can cook too at full tilt. Off grid--no blowers.

OP: In our cabin, the ability to turn low and slow for even heat and long burns has greatly improved our comfort levels. The worst was waking up to a cold stove and a cold cabin so I would definitely get something that burns overnight. The problem with a 2.0cf (or larger, or smaller for that matter) non-cat is the heat curve: super hot for a couple of hours after a full reload right before sleeping time. If this heat gets into your sleeping space this could be uncomfortable. If you have a way to mitigate that then you may be OK but your cabin is not huge. For instance, I have a neighbour up north who has a super 27 (2.0cf) in a super insulated small cabin and he has to close the bedroom door at bedtime to avoid cooking himself out while trying to sleep. Sometimes he wakes up to very cold temps in the bedroom but he wants those coals in the morning...

 

[DrOf Waves]

Will you install the stove and chimney yourself? What brands does the dealer carry..is there more than one dealer?

There are a few dealers in the area and I plan on having it professionally installed.

 

[Woodfire2019]

I seem to be the only person thus far on the site who has one, but the MF Fire Nova (1.7 ft3 firebox) would be a good fit for that size space. We love the stove and have been excited to tell people about it. I think if you go much bigger than that size stove for a 600 ft2 cabin you will heat yourself out of it. My last house had that issue where we regretted purchasing a stove that was too big. Yes, you can build a smaller fire in a big stove, but the stove itself never gets up to efficient running temps if you try to do that game, so why oversize? Anyway, we ordered our Nova online and had a local installer do the installation because we also didn't want to risk doing it ourselves. HAppy to share more about the stove if you want to know anything.